Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

3 Airway and Breathing

First Aider in Action – Summary Which two processes does the body use to get oxygen? The two processes are respiration and circulation. The heart circulates blood to move oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body’s cells to the lungs while respiration, or breathing, moves oxygenated air in and carbon dioxide out of the lungs. How often should you assess a patient’s airway and breathing? A person who stops breathing only has minutes before permanent damage to the brain and heart occur. A patient experiencing difficulty breathing should be assessed every few minutes.

Is Cindy’s airway patent ? Yes. Cindy is talking and you can hear breath sounds and wheezing associated with minor airway obstruction. How will you proceed with your assessment? Once you have ensured no scene dangers or life threats, proceed with the patient history and SAMPLE questions. Is Cindy’s breathing effective? Although Cindy is having difficulty breathing she does not show any signs or symptoms of ineffective breathing. Her colour is good. She is alert and oriented and her breathing rate is normal.

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